Caffeine and motivation and depression...

monkeefun

What does everyone feel about caffeine? I'm beginning to feel like it's pure evil at this point .

I've always had issues on and off with caffeine "addiction". Months ago I was able to get away from it entirely (YAY!) and felt fantastic. I'd jump into my workouts and get through my day - tired, but feeling good. However, about a month ago I started a job that required me to be at work at around 6AM (and I am NOT a morning person lol), and it's a very physical job besides. Soooo.....back to caffeine I went. Now I think I'm at the point where I'm overusing caffeine again. Energy drinks (Rock Star...mmmm...) has been helping me through my shifts a LOT, sometimes soda does too (and, to be honest, it's usually diet Mountain Dew for the caffeine >_<). And, to be even more disgustingly honest, there are days when, once I'm out of work at 3, I've been taking some Jack3d to help me push through the workout, even though I KNOW BETTER. I AM A NURSE. I KNOW BETTER!!! But that fix is disgustingly necessary - it feels it, anyway.

And, to top it off, I FEEL LIKE CRAP! Every day now. Between this, and having something important going on every stinking day, my eating habits have been bad (not terrible, but far from ideal), my workouts have been pathetic, and that's only if I can muster up the energy to do it - even AFTER all the caffeine and everything else!! And even if I find the energy, I can't find the motivation anymore.

My sleeping habits are fine - I get to sleep okay. Grumpy about getting up in the morning for work, but I've never been a morning person and probably never will be ;-). But for anything physical, I just CAN'T DO IT. I feel lazy, tired, a total lack of interest. I keep telling myself I need to do the workouts if I ever want to achieve the goals that I so badly WANT to set for myself. But it's like I physically CAN'T DO IT. And even mentally - I KNOW what needs to be done and how to do...but there's that depression and ugly part saying "Why bother" and "You don't feel like it - just push harder tomorrow!" even though that same part knows damn well tomorrow will be just as bad. UGH!

So now it's detox time again. I gave it up before, so I'm sure I can do it again. It's just all so frustrating. The worst part is that I know this is how I always felt before, when I was gaining all the weight and getting into terrible habits to begin with. It's awful. I'm just hoping I'm catching it quickly enough this time and can fight back to where I need to be. Ugh.

That's the end of my rant, I think. I think I just needed to vent :-!. I gotta go find my fire again. This is crazy

MrsRadder

Been thinking about giving up my morning coffee... cant wait to see what people say

MrsRadder

Hey Nurse... as much as you all love to hear from a paramedic You might want to have your blood work done... Just a thought.

njbooklover

Giving up caffiene can be really hard. I don't drink coffee, but I used to drink a lot of regular coke. I still have it at lunch time usually when I am at work, but much less than I had before, or when I go out to eat for dinner. (I know I shouldn't have any, but I hate diet soda.) It is much easier for me to cut down if I just limit myself to a certain amount daily. Then after a few weeks, I usually will make other choices most days. That is what works best for me.

Mr_C

I was a caffeine addict for a long time, finally shook it for a few years and had every bit as much energy, without the highs/lows and the need for the fix. The only time I would drink it was long drives.

Like you I got really busy at work so I started drinking it again. At first it helps, then it doesn't seem to have the same affect and was just a crutch. I was consuming way too much sugar also just to get the caffiene (I don't drink coffee, mostly Mtn Dew). My first week on MPF I focused on working my way off caffeine without the crash. A few weeks later I am now very happy about my decision.

Like you, I never like getting up in the morning, but I don't think the caffeine every helped as much as I wanted it too, especially when I was drinking it regularly... when I don't drink it and only have some every few months to keep me alert on a long car ride, then it seems to work great.

monkeefun

Hey Nurse... as much as you all love to hear from a paramedic You might want to have your blood work done... Just a thought.

I'm a newER nurse (most of my experience is CNA actually LOL), so I'm not biased yet ;-). I've thought about that, too. I'm wondering if there's more going on, too. Ugh.

chevy88grl

I am a caffeine addict. I've tried to give it up many, many, many times - I can't seem to make it through the debilitating headaches that I get when I try and wean myself off caffeine. I cave and go right back to it because I feel so horrible. I commend anyone who can make it through the withdrawals and can give it up!

I have two 8oz cups of coffee in the morning and on days I work I usually have a sugar free energy drink while at work. On days I don't work - I try and skip the energy drink.

I used to use caffeine supplements before going to the gym but I've found they make me jittery, jumpy and a wee bit ill feeling while I'm working out. So I skip them now (plus, I hate the tingly feeling some of them cause!).

frazidb

I suggest reading the book "Caffeine Blues." I read it for the first time many years ago. But, then I read two other books on caffeine which, more or less, promoted the benefits. I chose a middle path and minimized caffeine but did not eliminate it. To make a long story short I began to have heart palpitations and went to the doctor. I had a full battery of tests (stress test, ultrasound, etc). He did not advise that I get off caffeine (implied it came with getting older) but when I asked him what the major causes were, one of the top five causes was caffeine.

So, I decided to get totally off caffeine. Since then I have never had one palpitation, not even one.

The bigger benefit for me was realizing all the other negative effects caffeine had on me. Irritability in the evening went totally away. My teenage son could say something that would usually send me over the edge and I would calmly discuss the options! Business meetings were much less stressful, etc, etc.

Basically, when I look back on it the Caffeine Blues book got it all right.

I travel a lot and changing time zones can be very difficult without caffeine to help. Also, if I don't get much sleep for a few days in a row I can be quite drowsy during the day.

What I did was find a way to take very small amounts of caffeine rather than drink a soft drink or coffee. The problem with the drinks is that they contain at least 40 mg of caffeine. Plus, I like the flavor so much that I tend to drink too much.

I found Penguin Mints. They have 7 mg of caffeine per mint (can buy online).

Now, when I get a little drowsy (I only do this once or twice a month probably) I will take one mint. Since I am used to taking no caffeing every day, the 7 mg is enough to get me going a little. Sometimes I will take two. At these low doses, there are fewer bad side effects (not zero however). Plus, by taking the mints, I am less likely to take too much.

So, I would suggest definitely getting off the caffeine and use a low dose source to get it when you have to have it.

I will close by noting that the more months that go by the more I realize how little I need it. Now, I am more likely to get some exercise instead of taking the mint and I recognize that I need to get to bed earlier and then try to actually do it the next night.

Surprise: who would have thought that sleeping longer, eating better and exercising more could be the answer. I think I am just a slow learner but that is where I ended up.

Hope it helps.

Doug